Edward Rowe Snow Memorial

Artist:

Location:

Location

Neighborhood:

Boston Harbor Islands

Type:

Memorial

Year:

1999

Medium:

Granite

Collection:

Metropolitan District Commission

Funders:

Description:

Edward Rowe Snow (1902-1982) wrote about New England coastal history. The islands of Boston Harbor were a special subject for him; he led tours to the islands and is credited with being a one of the early advocates for preserving the islands for public enjoyment. In the days when the lighthouses on the New England coast were operated by keepers, Rowe hired an airplane and became a "Flying Santa," dropping presents for the keepers and their families - a tradition that he kept up for over forty years. The pavilion on Georges Island commemorates Snow’s services to the Harbor. The details are recorded on a nearby tablet, created by Monti Granite of Quincy, MA, which bears a bas-relief portrait of him.